Our Purpose
We are called to follow, trust and obey Jesus Christ.
Living the Baptismal Covenant, we are to welcome, equip, empower, teach, and train all our members for ministry in the service of God’s mission. Each person in our diocese is called to live out their lifelong engagement as members of the Church of Jesus Christ, living a life of love of God and love of our neighbor for God’s sake in Christ.
Such living is based upon, but not limited to, the following principles:
- the Church, the body of Christ, exists to carry out God’s mission
- ministry happens in all of life’s endeavors
- learning in ministry begins with preparation for baptism and continues until death; it is experiential and lifelong
- the Gospel must be engaged afresh in every context, every time, and every place
- every person has a unique configuration of gifts; no one is omnicompetent
- no person is indispensable; every person is irreplaceable
- the Spirit equips every congregation with what it needs to do what God is calling it to do
- congregations are not problems to be solved; like individuals, each has a unique pattern of gifts and opportunities which shape its ministry; ministries are not slots to be filled
- the local congregation or community of faith calls people to offices and specific ministries